To my best friend,

Where do I even start? I guess I should start with thank you. Thank you for everything. Thank you for being there through it all: my awkward stage (although it’s always debatable if I’m still going through it), stressful days at school, every bit of drama we encountered, every college acceptance, picking a college, working at camp together, leaving home for the first time, and hardest of all–our first semester away from each other this year. I couldn’t have done any of it without you by my side encouraging me and helping me through everything.

I wanted to write this both to thank you and to just reflect on the incredible friendship we have had and will continue to have. When you came into my life–kind of in elementary school but really middle school–I had no idea that this would blossom into the incredible friendship that it has. We truly can survive anything, even if that means us drifting apart for a year or two, we always find our way back to each other. I will be forever grateful for that one night when we realized us not being close was dumb and that we needed to have each other back in our lives again. It was like nothing changed, we just jumped right back into being best friends and that is not something that could happen with just anyone.

I couldn’t imagine driving around with no destination in mind while listening to embarrassing throwback music with anyone else while simultaneously talking about every detail of our lives. Literally every detail. I don’t think anyone knows me better than you do….including myself. You know how I feel about something before I even realize it’s how I feel. That’s a skill only a best friend like you could have.

I literally trust you with my life, and that is not an easy task. I know that no matter what day or time it is, I can always come to you with anything, even if it is just for me to rant about something that is bothering me. You don’t get annoyed when I text you every day about the same thing that I just can’t seem to get off my mind even if any other sane person would be ready to block my number because you know I am here for you to do the same. You also are not afraid to tell it to me straight if you know that’s what I need to hear. You never judge me no matter what I do or say and I have yet to meet someone as thoughtful as you.

I know that nothing will ever come between us, even 325 miles. This semester really showed us the strength of our friendship, as no matter how busy our schedules got, we always made time for each other. Before college I was nervous that we wouldn’t be able to continue to know everything about each other and the little things going on in our lives. I thought the distance would lead to general conversations about the big events in each other’s lives. But if anything, this past semester we probably got closer than we have ever been despite the physical distance between us. You know I love to be right, but boy am I glad I was proven wrong on this one.

We are polar opposites and also the same person at the same time. We are best friends. We are sisters. We are soul mates.

We are stuck with each other forever and I couldn’t be happier about that.

xoxo your bff,

Jess